It was Newt Gingrich versus the news networks last night in the South Carolina debate. The line of attack, blasting the “negative” and “elite” media, is calculated to appeal to his base.

The only question is: why did John King seem sheepish when pointing out it was ABC, not CNN, that carried the interview with one of Gingrich’s ex-wives, in which she said he wanted an “open marriage”? That was the news of the day and King was within his rights to ask about it.

John King is a knowledgeable political reporter with a likable demeanor and a smooth way of making good points. “John McCain claiming never to have been a maverick is like me claiming never to have liked beer,” King quipped tonight on his CNN show, “John King, USA.”

It’s only been on a month but the ratings have been not just bad but terrible–like, record low numbers not seen since 2004. Maybe because nobody’s watching, King is looser than usual. He deserves more attention. While the sniping over ratings continues, King is doing good work.

For viewers more accustomed to “American Idol,” tonight’s historic House of Representatives vote on health care, after a long day of cable news coverage, played like a combination of the latest reality show (“text 4” to vote for whatsisname!) and the New Year’s Eve ball drop. “Remember, 216 is the magic number!” CNN’s Wolf Blitzer advised repeatedly.

Anyone with the patience to sit through the procedural tinkering, the arcane parliamentary procedures, the thundering speeches and the talking head time-fillers came away with a sense of how the system works. John King noted that the Republicans were deprived the video footage of a roll-call vote they might have used in campaign ads. Much of tonight’s televised moment in history is bound to be replayed for some time, like the sight of a Congressman behaving like a third-grader, yelling, “Baby killer!” at a fellow member of the House.

CNN is making the most of John King’s single most famous personality quirk: his affection for the “magic wall” will be worked into his new nightly primetime show when it launches Monday, locally at 6 p.m.

“John King USA” (the title is supposed to reflect the beyond-Washington perspective of the show) will include a regular segment called “Wall-to-Wall.” According to CNN, “Every night, John will use his “co-anchor” the Magic Wall as a window on America – a way to connect the country and see what is going on outside the Beltway.”

A sizeable CNN gang showed up, except Blitzer who was via satellite from Washington with a pulled hamstring thanks to his treadmill.

John King

[photopress:JohnKing_AC360_20070823_0005cr.jpg,thumb,pp_image]

played with a small version of his telestrator next to the coffee urns, indulging critics’ curiosity. Denver is not well wired so it’s a blur on the Google birds-eye view, he observed, while LA is crisp and clear. Look, you can see Housekeeping in your room at the moment, he joked.

Jon Klein, president of CNN, stuck to his mantra: “straight down the middle.” As opposed to liberal/conservative competitors, he means. Sounds bland, but “information is sexy,” he said. Now there’s a slogan.

Blitzer said the network’s DNC coverage won’t be wall-to-wall. With access to party leaders, there will be serious reporting. “We’re not going to simply be stenographers.”
King: “This is the most consequential election of my lifetime. If we can’t make that interesting then I should go back to tending bar.”
The switch to Invesco will require “a little more lifting,” Washington bureau chief David Bohrman said, deftly understating.

Finally, this exchange: “The best television critic in Philadelphia has a question,” my colleague Jon Storm said. “Does saying it makes it so?” Why does CNN keep using that tagline which is essentially an advertisement, he wanted to know.

“We’re glad you noticed. We made our point,” Klein said.

No, the point is, that constant touting of “the best political team in television” is an irritant that undermines the network’s credibility.

Notes on the coverage of what MSNBC’s Chris Matthews called “Super-Duper Tuesday”:

John King with his Telestrator on CNN, creating a dizzying symphony of expanding, contracting, moving, encircled images on a map. It’s a showy bit of technology that’s best in small doses.
Over on CBS Jeff Greenfield has a telestrator, too. “He’s a John Madden wannabe,” Katie Couric says.

[photopress:kinf15517_0139.JPG,thumb,pp_image]

Way too much information on the screen on MSNBC, needless overkill on a night when less is often more.

Olbermann also pinpointed what he called “the media momentum war,” as usual displaying a keen awareness for the perceptions behind the news that influence the news. He often adds more to the discussion than the rest of the media pack combined.

On CBS, Couric was stuck with weak graphics while ABC gave Charlie Gibson moving pictures of each candidate rather than static numbers. A weird Big Brother screen in front of the ABC team was unnerving. Couric nimbly teased Jeff Greenfield for an interruption: “while you’re turning off your cellphone why don’t you weigh in, Jeff?” She said the touch screen in front of her was helping her hone her ATM skills.

Brian Williams’ more formal style on NBC seemed respectful of the occasion if dated at the same time. Tim Russert, in overdrive since “Today” more than 12 hours ago, continues to salivate. “Polls are closed, can’t wait for those results!” His excitement is contagious.

CBS’ Bob Schieffer, who has announced plans to retire after the 2008 election cycle, got in a self-referential joke about age being “a real asset for McCain.”

The panting countdown to California continues as the night wears on and Matthews in particular looks like he needs to towel off and chill.

Joanne Ostrow has been watching TV since before "reality" required quotation marks. "Hill Street Blues" was life-changing. If Dickens, Twain or Agatha Christie were alive today, they'd be writing for television. And proud of it.